Rajasthan tops in country in creating man days of rural employment under MGNREGA: Pilot

Rajasthan has generated the largest number of man days, totalling 30.03 crore, of paid employment under the MGNREGA scheme among all states in the country, said Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot. Pilot made this revelation in the state assembly late Thursday night while replying to a debate on demand for grants for the Rural Development, Panchayti Raj and Public Works departments.

“Rajasthan stands on top at the national level in the creation of largest number of man days,” he said, adding the state has also been recognised at the national level and awarded for achieving this feat.

The state created 30.03 crore man days of paid employment against a target of 30 crore man days in fiscal 2019-20 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, clocking more than 100 per cent performance, he said. Enacted by Manmohan Singh-led UPA I government in 2005, the MGNREGA aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing 100 days of wage-employment in a financial year to rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

In his reply, Pilot, who holds the portfolios of the PWD and the Rural Development and Panchayti Raj Department, said under the MGNREGA scheme, Rajasthan has also added the works of developing model water reservoirs, funeral and burial grounds and sports grounds in every revenue village of the state. Accusing the previous BJP government of neglecting rural employment generation under MGNREGA, he said the Congress government began giving importance to MGNREGA schemes ever since assuming power in the state.

Talking about generation of 30.03 crore of the man days against a target of 30 crore, the deputy chief minister also told the House the government is set to create 30.34 crore of man days under MGNREGA by the end of fiscal 2019-20.

“A total of 5.88 lakh families were given 100-day employment under MGNREGA in 2018-19 while the previous BJP government gave employment to only 2.28 lakh families. The number of families who got 100-day employment in Congress government was almost double than those getting it during the tenure of the previous BJP government,” he said.

He said in 2019-20, around 10 lakh families are expected to get 100-day employment which would be the highest in last ten years. Pilot also said directions had been given in January last year to carry out four types of works at the gram panchayat level under MGNREGA, adding that these works will now be carried out in every revenue village of the state. The works include pasture development work, besides building model water reservoir, developing funeral and burial grounds and sports ground.

He said these works will enhance the income of local people and improve the environment. Pilot said the state government is committed to an excellent execution of the MGNREGA for which Rajasthan has been recognised at the national level and has been awarded for achieving this feat. He also told the House that the state has secured the fourth position in the country in implementing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna.

Under the PMAY, he said the target of the current fiscal year is to construct houses for 4.5 lakh houseless families. Pilot also made several other announcements including those for opening 50 retail outlets for the sale of bio-diesel and building several roads in the state. After the minister's reply, the demand for grants were passed by the House by a voice vote.